Through It All
by Kitten Kisses
Summary: A collection of ToS drabbles. It will contain most pairings, and will hopefully delve into each character's mind. Challenge number three NOW UP! 'Ends'. [Starring Genis, Virginia, and Raine.]
1. Beginnings

**Through It All**  
**By: Kitten Kisses**

…_**oXo…**_

Author Notes: This is a collection of drabbles for the _Tales of Symphonia_ section. Every character will probably appear eventually, and a lot of different romantic pairings, as well. Each drabble will not be connected to another, and should be between 100 and 500 words.

I am using the prompts given by the 100Drabbles community on LiveJournal; so credit to them. My job is to take these prompts, and turn them into a story. The title of each "chapter" will the be name of the prompt word. (In this case, "Beginnings".)

I WILL change the "pairing" this is listed under for every new chapter. (So next chapter, it won't be listed under "Raine" anymore.)

Disclaimer:_ I own nothing but my ideas._

…_**oXo…**_

**Challenge #1: **_Beginnings_

Characters Used: Raine, Virginia

…_**oXo…**_

Time passed slowly in the floating city of Exire. It was no wonder that the people of this community refused to leave. She'd been living there for several years now, and found the peace and quiet rather beautiful in its own way.

The sound of singing interrupted her thoughts. Outwardly, she remained the same, but at the sounds of those soft words, she inwardly cringed. Virginia was lost in her own world on the other side of the room, cradling that ragdoll and crooning softly.

'_Three long years,'_ she thought, sinking lower into the rocking char she was sitting in. And they had certainly seemed longer than the average 365 days per year. She'd been calling her "Virginia", pushing the word 'mother' as far away as she could make it go.

Her original plan had been to stay with Virginia until the woman realized on her own (and without any yelling this time) that the Raine standing in front of her was, indeed, her daughter, and not a doll. At times, she hated the woman for it- and at other times, she almost couldn't blame her.

She'd lost everything and then some. First her home, and then her children… and lastly, she watched her husband slip away, leaving her completely and utterly alone.

The chair was moving slowly now as her thoughts deepened. Did she really have any right to judge her own mother? When she had ended up in a strange land, with her infant brother in her arms, she had felt alone- and scared, of course; but she had had Genis, so even though she had felt alone, she hadn't completely been so.

Briefly, she wondered how it must have felt, and after a few moments, she decided that she really didn't care to know firsthand.

She watched the woman in front of her swaying back and forth to a song that Raine could only vaguely remember. Virginia hadn't really forgotten about them- in fact, it seems as if she had loved them so much, that she just couldn't live without them… regardless as to whether or not they were real or imaginary.

Virginia turned and caught her gaze. "Yes?" she asked, still rocking the doll back-and-forth in her arms.

And though she knew it would do nothing but confuse the poor woman, she felt…no, _knew_ that she had to say it.

"Mother…" she said. "I forgive you."

…_**oXo…**_

Word Count: 400

_Author's Reasoning- This is called "Beginnings", because it's a new start for Raine. Something she's finally able to do to move on with her life. Forgiveness is real love, after all, and I'm sure Raine's burden would be lifted if she could bring herself to forgive her mother._

_Author Note_: Please, let me know what you think. If you have any ideas you might want me to use, please check out my bio. Constructive Criticism is _most certainly_ always appreciated.

**UP NEXT:**"Middles", starring Zelos and Colette.


	2. Middles

Through It All 

**Challenge #2-**_**"Middles"**_

_Starring Zelos and Colette._

---

Her hand brushed up against the cold stone- the words that had once been engraved by loving friends; that had once stood out so prominently- were now faded and nearly impossible to read. She wasn't sure how long she'd been there. Weeks? Years?

It didn't matter. He didn't seem to care either; he'd been there nearly as long, at least. Their wings were unfurled, the bright pink and orange hues brightening the pale spring morning.

"How long have we been here?" she finally asked him, her hand lying still against the gravestone, and her voice hoarse from not being used.

His shrug didn't quite answer her question, but it told her that he didn't quite know, either.

"They're all gone, Zelos, they-" her voice cracked, almost in sorrow, but her eyes had long ago stopped crying. "Aren't they, though?"

"They've _been_ gone," he said flatly. No longer was he the flirtatious man of years past. His demeanor now resembled… what was his name? Yuan? The voice of a man who'd loved, and lost, and couldn't die. Oh-so bitter.

"I loved him," she told him. "I really did."

And he nodded, because he knew how she felt. He had loved, had had children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren…losing count after a few-hundred years.

Here they were; the two who couldn't die; and who couldn't live. The grass and the flowers grew and withered around them as they sat there…as ageless as the moon.

"You know, Zelos," she whispered, the sparkle of life gone from her voice, and her eyes as she stared at him. "I wish I were dead."

---

Author's Notes: I fought for that last sentence. Was it "I wish I was dead", or "I wish I were dead"? Well, the answer is what I've written. Because it's a "wish", an "imaginary" thing, it's "were", rather than "was". Talk about confusing!

Let me know what you think.

**UP NEXT:**** "Ends", starring Raine, Genis, and Virginia.**


	3. Ends

**Through It All  
Challenge #3- "Ends"**

_Starring: Virginia, Raine, and Genis._

------

The news of her immanent death reached them at a most inconvenient time- during an exam- but they had dropped everything immediately; running out of the school and down the dirt path that led to their house. Hurriedly, they had packed a few things- books and clothes, mostly- and started to fly to Exire as quickly as they could get there.

"Have you come to visit?" the elven woman had asked them from her bed as they entered the now-drab and rather dark house that she lived in. "I apologize," she muttered through lidded eyes, her speech slow, and her tone confused. "I am not feeling well."

It was obvious to the siblings that this woman who they called "mother" in private, would be lucky to live even through an entire day. They settled in for a long evening.

------

He knew that she didn't have much longer. It was dark, and her breathing was beginning to sound as if each one could possibly be her last. He couldn't help but smile softly as he brushed some of her hair away from her face. Despite the fact that she had pretty much forgotten about him, she was still his mother, and he still cared about her.

He felt her wake a few minutes later, and he _knew_ that she would leave them soon.

Her voice was hoarse. "Take… care of my daughter…" She half-smiled at him as he grasped her hand, her eyes tired.

"I will," he promised, glancing over to the crib beside his mother's bed, the lifeless eyes of the doll inside's eyes glinting in the moonlight that streamed through a small window nearby.

"No." She shook her hair, the damp tresses shifting slightly. "She looks just like me." And she raised a hand shakily to point at Raine, who was propped up against a wall in the corner, asleep.

------

**Author Notes:**

I'm so sorry for not getting this out sooner. I couldn't find the notebook that I originally had written this in, but it was pretty much right in front of my face the entire time!

Well, celebrate anyway, because as of the 26th of July, I'm 21 years old!

**NEXT UP: **** "First"- [I have not written this one yet. Any suggestions or ideas?**


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